Automated heating, cooking, and dispensing devices and systems for food and beverage items are known in the art. By way of example, known devices can include conveyors to pass uncooked food by a heating and cooking element before being dispensed. There are many limitations and deficiencies with these known devices.
Related patents known in the art include the following: U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,661, issued to Boosalis et al. on Jul. 12, 1977, discloses an apparatus for heating and dispensing food articles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,580, issued to Ferrin on Mar. 20, 1984, discloses a dispenser for skewered foods. U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,071, issued to Boosalis, deceased et al. on Apr. 3, 1984, discloses a conveyor system for skewered foods.
The foregoing patent information reflects the state of the art of which the inventors are aware and is tendered with a view toward discharging the inventors' acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be pertinent to the patentability of the technology described herein. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that the foregoing patent and other information do not teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, the inventors' claimed invention.